Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona [Credit: Shutterstock/Tim Roberts Photography]
Key Takeaways:
Mesa, Arizona, has approved new $20 landing fees at Falcon Field (KFFZ) starting May 1, projected to generate $2.6 million annually for airport operations and self-sustainability.
Flight schools at KFFZ strongly oppose the fees, warning they will significantly increase the cost of pilot training, potentially lead to business closures, and deter new pilots, thus exacerbating the current pilot shortage.
Operators and industry leaders criticize the city's decision for its lack of collaboration and believe it's a "blunt instrument" that places an undue burden on training activity, with some suspecting the fees are partly intended to address noise complaints from nearby residents.
On Tuesday the Mesa City Council voted to adopt landing fees at Falcon Field (KFFZ). According to city officials, the fees could bring in about $2.6 million a year that will be used to support airport operations.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
